The service of Evensong marked the golden jubilee year of the Round Tower Churches Society and the Dean, the Very Revd Dr Andrew Braddock welcomed members of the five groups, who have helped to conserve and maintain churches across Norfolk and Suffolk over the past half century, and also the Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk, the Lady Dannatt.
The Norfolk Churches Trust was represented by John Maddison, chairman, and former chairman Ian Lonsdale. Sarah Gore, chair, of the Norwich Historic Churches Trust, was also present as well as representatives of the Churches Conservation Trust and also the Suffolk Historic Churches Trust, which celebrated its golden jubilee last year.
The Dean, who is a former Rector of Cringleford and the round tower church of St Andrew, Colney, in 2001, led the service of Festal Evensong. He was supported by Canon Aidan Platten, Canon Andy Bryant and the Archdeacon of Lynn, the Ven Catherine Dobson.
The Round Tower Churches Society’s long-serving secretary, Mrs ‘Lyn Stilgoe was invited to take the first reading while the Dean read the other.
Since the Round Tower Churches Society was officially founded on September 1, 1973, it has awarded more than £400,000 in grants in the past half century to help maintain churches.
It was fitting that the service was held in Norwich Cathedral because Norfolk has 124 of the country’s 180 round tower churches. A further 38 are in Suffolk.
